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A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief

Thoughts from my home to yours

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Brave Learning: My Honest Thoughts about Tech in...

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/10/31

Recently on Brave Learning… My Honest Thoughts about Tech in Schooling And what I wish for today’s homeschool parents. EXCERPT: When we put kids on a computer to “learn,” they may associate learning with lessons given to them by a machine, rather than seeing learning as their natural state—that thrives in relationship to other human beings […]The post Brave Learning: My Honest Thoughts about Tech in Schooling appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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[Podcast #311] An Atmosphere, a Discipline, a Life

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/10/29

Julie Bogart and Melissa Wiley reunite to reflect on one of Charlotte Mason’s most enduring ideas: that education is an atmosphere, a discipline, and a life. What begins as a heartfelt story about a cozy childhood home becomes a rich conversation about the environments we create for learning—spaces that invite participation, curiosity, and joy. Together, […] The post [Podcast #311] An Atmosphere, a Discipline, a Life appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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The World Is Your Classroom

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/10/27

Sometimes it helps to work through a systematic approach to math or phonics. And sometimes, that’s the exact right approach for this season of homeschool. However… I want to remind you that the genius of homeschooling is that the WORLD is your classroom. The conversations you have along the way, the activities you pursue out […] The post The World Is Your Classroom appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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Keep YOUR Curiosity Alive!

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/10/24

Sometimes we blame our kids for not being interested in the lessons. Ask yourself: “When was the last time I was actually interested in what I’m teaching them?” For example, you unleash curiosity in your children when you become curious about: Curiosity drives learning. Anytime the routine becomes too predictable and stale, kids check out. […]The post Keep YOUR Curiosity Alive! appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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[Podcast #310] High Tide Homeschooling with a Teen

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/10/22

Melissa Wiley takes the mic solo this week for a heartwarming look inside her current homeschool life with her youngest, sixteen-year-old Huck. Drawing from her decades of experience as both author and homeschooling mother of six, Melissa walks listeners through a day in the life of their family’s “tidal homeschooling” rhythm—where structured “high tide” study […] The post [Podcast #310] High Tide Homeschooling with a Teen appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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Middle School Writing: History Projects

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/10/20

You might wonder how your middler is ever going to be a competent essay writer. They procrastinate. They lack organization. They can’t follow steps. They have zero motivation to write. Like, at all! Well, we have a secret to share. Projects are the perfect stepping stone to academic writing for a middle grader. Projects offer: […] The post Middle School Writing: History Projects appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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Turn Living Literature into Unit Studies

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/10/17

Brave Writer’s Literature Singles are more than grammar guides—they are literary treasure boxes filled with ideas to expand a novel into an engaging unit study for the whole family. Read a book, talk about its grammar, punctuation, spelling, and literary devices. Discuss the stories with comprehension questions and then throw a party to celebrate! Want inspiration for […]The post Turn Living Literature into Unit Studies appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in

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[Podcast #309] Redefining Homeschool with Alisha...

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/10/15

Welcome back to the Brave Writer Podcast! This week, Julie sits down with Alisha Brignall, a Canadian homeschooling veteran and educational leader with over 15 years of experience guiding families through their unique learning journeys. With a Master’s in Education and her work as a Home Education Manager at an independent school, Alisha brings a […] The post [Podcast #309] Redefining Homeschool with Alisha Brignall from Canada appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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Does Writing Instruction Require Suffering?

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/10/13

One of the reasons that people struggle with writing is that it doesn’t feel easy. But what if it could be? What if your child experienced self-expression as something they enjoy, as something they deserve to have in their toolbox of being human? I noticed when I interviewed adults that the scars of criticism from […] The post Does Writing Instruction Require Suffering? appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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What AI Can’t Write

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/10/10

AI can write anything! Almost. But you know what AI is terrible at writing? Those moments? They’re real. They’re human. So—how do you help bring them to the page while keeping your child’s authentic voice alive? Need help? Growing Brave Writers is your guide to leveling up your teaching skills—so you can nurture your child’s voice and love of writing. And here’s […]The post What AI Can’t Write appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in

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[Podcast #308] Julie’s Brief History of Homeschooling

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/10/08

On today’s podcast we go on a sweeping journey through the history of homeschooling, weaving together Julie’s story with the larger movement that reshaped education in America. From the experimental classrooms of 1970s California to the early legal battles of the 1980s and the faith-driven conventions of the 1990s, Julie shows how homeschooling evolved from […] The post [Podcast #308] Julie’s Brief History of Homeschooling appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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The Foundation of Self-Worth

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/10/06

I found this little gem in my Instagram drafts and it brought a tear to my eye. I recorded it in the spring of 2024. My mother was still alive at the time. It struck me as I re-watched it that the foundation of self-worth is the faith that my parents have in me. Each […] The post The Foundation of Self-Worth appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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More Monday Morning Meetings

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/10/03

Our five-minute weekly podcast for your kids is going strong on Substack! We took a break for the summer but have new episodes available and they are FREE (they aren’t always). The goal is to give your kids actionable steps to take control of their learning experience, to make it more meaningful and delightful to them. […]The post More Monday Morning Meetings appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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[Podcast #307] Italy, Literature, and Learning...

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/10/01

Julie is back from her two-week trip to Italy (with a quick stop in Copenhagen!) and brings stories that weave together travel, literature, and layered learning. From visiting her aunt on the Mediterranean coast to finally stepping inside Florence’s Santa Croce—20 years after promising herself she would—Julie shares how books like A Room with a […] The post [Podcast #307] Italy, Literature, and Learning Connections appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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Your Child Is Already an Author

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/09/29

One of the key concepts that I teach in writing is that kids are authors, not just students trying to write. Children ought to have authorial control over their own writing. They get to decide what they keep and discard, and they decide which editing concepts to apply to their work. A Truth When we […] The post Your Child Is Already an Author appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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Your Child Is Smart

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/09/26

It’s incredible to realize that we have front row seats to the unique intelligence of our children. We alone know when they are clever and maximizing their particular brand of smarts. Be the parent who notices and brags about those skills. If you can, express that admiration in front of that child. Goes a long […]The post Your Child Is Smart appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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[Podcast #306] Challenge Accepted: An Interview with...

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/09/24

One of the major perks of homeschooling is that the middle-school years can be about adventure instead of awkwardness. In this Brave Writer podcast episode, Melissa chats with author Chris Balme about his book, Challenge Accepted: 50 Adventures to Make Middle School Awesome. Balme’s book invites young readers to discover how trust, agency, and meaningful […] The post [Podcast #306] Challenge Accepted: An Interview with Chris Balme appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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The Danger of Black and White Thinking

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/09/22

In his book, Strong Religion, Gabriel Almond (plus authors) makes a case for the idea that when a society is going through seismic shifts that feel unnerving, the tendency is to double down on the past and black-and-white thinking. Many times we adopt a fundamentalist spirit, whether or not, we are religious. The hallmarks of […]The post The Danger of Black and White Thinking appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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Brave Learning: Middlers

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/09/19

Recently on Brave Learning… If you have kids ages 8-10, these are especially for you! Partnering with Your Child Partnership Writing is the most overlooked stage of writing development. [More] Tips for Enticing Your Children to Write You can change how your kids feel about writing right now! [More] How to Give Positive Writing Feedback Let’s […] The post Brave Learning: Middlers appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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[Podcast #305] Can Screens Benefit the Whole Family?...

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/09/17

Do you ever catch yourself treating screens like contraband—tolerated in tiny doses, never to be openly celebrated? Ash Brandin, author of Power On: Managing Screen Time for the Benefit of the Whole Family, urges us to view screens as morally neutral and to focus on how they can serve the whole family’s needs. In this […] The post [Podcast #305] Can Screens Benefit the Whole Family? with Ash Brandin appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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